UTEP President Issues Statement On Bullet Hitting Campus Building

El Paso – The following is a statement from UTEP President Diana Natalicio issued Aug. 22:

UTEP Police are investigating the discovery of a single bullet that struck a campus building (Bell Hall) sometime on Saturday evening, August 21, 2010. Between 6:10 and 6:40 that evening, there was an exchange of gunfire in Juarez, Mexico, which resulted in the closure of Paisano Drive from Executive Center to Santa Fe Street. UTEP Police believe that the bullet may be related to this incident.

The investigation revealed that a single bullet struck the south door of Bell Hall, went through the glass panel in the door and was found embedded in an office door frame. There were no reported injuries. This appears to be the only stray bullet to have struck the campus, and there is no evidence to suggest that UTEP was specifically targeted.

UTEP will continue to pursue the investigation of this incident and consult with appropriate law enforcement officials and other governmental entities concerning risk assessment strategies and possible further security precautions.